"Italy is suffering from Russia-related sanctions, but that was the European Union’s decision, and we agree with it," the UNIAN news agency quotes Italy’s top diplomat as saying

Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni

KIEV, May 6. /TASS/. Italy is suffering from the anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the European Union, Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said during a joint news conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Pavel Klimkin.

"Italy is suffering from Russia-related sanctions, but that was the European Union’s decision, and we agree with it," the UNIAN news agency quotes Italy’s top diplomat as saying.

Speaking about the conflict in the Donbas region, Gentiloni noted that the decision on the status of eastern Ukrainian territories had to be taken by the country’s people. "The decision on a special status for Donbass must be taken by Ukraine, not by the EU or Italy," the minister said.

According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministers, "the two ministers discussed the prospects of the speedy ratification of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU by the Italian parliament.".